Military: Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, two Bronze Stars, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Korean Service Medal for injuries and heroic actions.

Services: Mass at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 5919 Ingram Road, followed by burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

While enduring freezing temperatures and rough terrain during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, Ray Aguirre promised God that if he survived, “he would try to live his life in an exemplary way and always remember the veterans,” friend Joan Blackburn said. Wounded and frostbitten, Aguirre made it home and did his best to fulfill his promise, working the rest of his life to make sure the men who fought and died were never forgotten.

Aguirre died April 26 at 84.

He was raised on the West Side, attending Lanier High School and joining the Marine Corps Reserves after graduating in 1946. He married his girlfriend, who had grown up in the same neighborhood, in 1950. Just months later he was sent to Korea.

After a yearlong recovery from his injuries, Aguirre returned to San Antonio and worked at Kelly AFB as a sheet metal worker. He soon moved on to the work he loved. “My father was artistically inclined,” daughter Elsa Villalpando said. “He had a natural talent; he won his first prize for his art at 7.” His daughter recalled growing up with his art decorating the walls of their home.

Aguirre never lost sight of his mission to remember veterans. He founded the local chapter of the Chosin Few, an association of Marines and sailors; was active in VFW Post 9186; and volunteered at the veterans hospital. He also spearheaded creation of the Korean War Memorial downtown. “The sculpture was done from his design,” Villalpando said. “They did the fundraising; they'd sell a brick 'in memory of ...' It was dedicated in 1994; it took five years.” Aguirre also volunteered for the Memorial Detachment Service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Joan Blackburn lost a brother at Chosin. Her family received his remains five years later, but no one could tell them the specifics of his death. Years later, she contacted Aguirre after seeing his name at the memorial. “I told him who I was, what I was looking for, and that my brother had been killed,” she said. “He put me in touch with the editor” of the Chosin Few and they promised to help.

“They published a picture of my brother, and the day the publication came out the phone started ringing and didn't stop for three days,” Blackburn said. “The third call was his sergeant, and he was with him when he was killed.”

She credits Aguirre for leading her family to the information they had sought for so long. “My family was so grateful to him; we considered him our hero.”